Gaming device manufacturers strive to make gaming devices that provide as much enjoyment and excitement as possible. Providing a secondary or bonus game in which a player has an opportunity to win potentially large awards or credits in addition to awards associated with the primary or base game of the gaming device is one known method for enhancing player enjoyment and excitement.
Gaming devices having secondary or bonus games generally employ a triggering event that occurs during the operation of the base game of the gaming device. As the result of reaching a predetermined outcome in the base game, the triggering event temporarily stalls or halts the play of the base game and enables a player to enter a second, different game (i.e., a secondary or bonus game). For example, in slot machines with reels, the triggering event usually occurs when the player reaches a predetermined combination of symbols on the reels. The player plays the secondary game, likely receives an award, and returns to the base game.
Moreover, known gaming devices have a bonus or secondary game that is played over the course of a number of plays of the primary or base game. These gaming devices award the player for their persistence in playing the gaming device for a prolonged number of plays or period of time. In these games, each time the base game advances to the bonus game, a portion of the bonus game is played or at least one bonus game element is provided to the player and then the player returns to the base game. After the player has advanced to the bonus game a number of times (i.e., obtained a number of bonus game elements), an award is provided to the player. The bonus game outcome is awarded to the player based on a plurality of plays of the bonus game which occur based on triggering events in the primary game.
The player's enjoyment increases by playing the secondary game in addition to the primary game. However, reaching the predetermined outcome in the base game to advance to the secondary game often occurs intermittently and infrequently. Thus, it is desirable to have a gaming device that provides an opportunity for the player to play the secondary game simultaneous with the play of the primary game regardless of the outcome of the primary game.